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Congress members discuss raising funds for Yucca Mountain

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) had a discussion on Tuesday regarding the Yucca Mountain license application.

The leaders discussed language in the FY 2014 Energy and Water Appropriations bill to raise funds needed for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete the license application. The debate took place on the House floor.

The Energy and Water funding bill is still currently being discussed and commits $25 million to support activities on Yucca Mountain. The Department of Energy is authorized to provide the funds to the NRS by means of transfer to complete the application review. The funding bill this year attempts to ensure the license application review is completed, after having been passed last year.

"This approach really builds on last year's momentum to get this job done," Upton said. "Consumers and taxpayers have paid over $15 billion - B as in big - to find out whether Yucca Mountain would be a safe repository for civilian spent nuclear fuel and defense nuclear waste. They deserve an answer, yes they do, and under this bill they are going to get one."